


inked in your skin

by tightropeofhope



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: First Dates, Flirting, M/M, Meet-Cute, Minor Zayn Malik/Liam Payne, POV Louis, Soulmates, Strangers to Lovers, Tattoos, of sorts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-13
Updated: 2017-09-13
Packaged: 2018-12-25 13:38:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12037011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tightropeofhope/pseuds/tightropeofhope
Summary: Something itched under Louis’ skin, a restlessness akin to the days he didn't have a smoke, but this was deeper. It was buried in his veins and he was getting antsy just staring at the patch of unmarked skin. It seemed like getting tattoos was just another added addiction to his life of bad decisions.—•—Louis goes out to get a tattoo and meets Harry, the man who's been getting complementary tattoo pieces to his.





	inked in your skin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Audrey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Audrey/gifts).



> hiya, this is for audrey who wanted this prompt written since forever and i was in a writing mood so here it is !!! its really short im sorry. henyways, this thing is edited as best as i can in like no time jhksdgkjhsdf & to be clear this isnt really a soulmate au, more like... they're just soulmates and coincidences occur (like irl)
> 
> Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc., are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Something itched under Louis’ skin, a restlessness akin to the days he didn’t have a smoke, but this was deeper. It was buried in his veins and he was getting antsy just staring at the patch of unmarked skin on his arm. It seemed like getting tattoos was just another added addiction to his life of bad decisions. He bounced his leg, ignoring Zayn's stare and tried to continue to scroll through his phone.

“What?” he snapped, shoving his phone by his side.  

Zayn put his hands up in mock surrender and Louis sagged in his chair, feeling defeated and a bit of an arse. “What’s up with you? Need a ciggy or something?”

“No.” Louis rubbed his hands on his legs to keep the jitters at bay. “Do you know if Vanessa’s booked this week?”

Zayn raised his eyebrow then shook his head, thinking it over. “Nah, she should be free. You gonna give her a call?”

“Yeah,” he said, picking his phone back up and already scrolling through his contacts. “I blame you for my tattoo addiction.”

Zayn snorted, standing up and walking past him, ruffling his hair while Louis shouted explicits at his back. “Mate, you didn’t even like them in the first place. I couldn't get you to change.”

Louis huffed, annoyed, but he had to agree. A few years back Louis hated the idea of tattoos on anyone, let alone himself, but something happened. The allure of the blank ink on permanently embedded into his skin was a siren’s call if he had ever heard one. He remembered glancing through Vanessa’s portfolio as Zayn got inked for the hundredth time, eyes stopping at one page. It was an anchor bound by rope, simple but something made him ask her to book an appointment after she was done. But instead of the entire drawing, he just asked for a broken rope around his wrist. He didn't know why, but something felt inherently wrong at the thought of the full design on him. And that was that. 

After that day he was significantly broker than his usual, but the adrenaline rushing through him got him hooked. Then over the course of a couple of years he gained some pretty nice ink, a weird mismatched set of tattoos that he loved so dearly.

Louis called Vanessa quickly after Zayn headed to his room and was able to schedule an appointment rather easily, so the itch lessened just a bit to feel bearable. She had said something about another client being there while Remi inked them, but his attention wandered. He already had in mine what he wanted. Louis remembered seeing the rose and dagger tattoo the last time he went and that was all he could picture inked into the bare spot on his skin.

Louis smiled. It was perfect.  

 

* * *

 

As it turned out, Remi’s client was most likely a prince in his last life. Or an angel. Did angels even have lives? Anyway, Harry was the definition of model beauty and Louis could attest to that because his best mate was Zayn and his boyfriend could front the cover of _Men’s Fitness_ if Liam ever wanted to. Louis was used to being surrounded by beauty, but Harry? He was another story entirely. No one should have those eyes, so earnest and attentive paired with the prettiest, plush lips Louis had ever seen. There was something in the way he stood, this quiet confidence that Louis was drawn towards. But all of that was just a bonus because Harry was so fucking nice that Louis felt like a prick in comparison and he hadn’t even done anything yet.

Harry’s hand came up to sweep his short hair back, but frowned when his fingers grasped at short strands, like he was used to longer hair. And that was an image Louis was definitely not ready for. Harry with short hair was enough to leave him breathless.

“Have you been inked before?” Harry asked, voice like honey, slow and sweet to his ears.

Louis tapped his fingers against his thighs, surprised at the question but realised that his jacket covered most of his body. His gaze turned to the bit of ink peeking from Harry’s collarbones and his mouth went dry. He coughed. “Yeah, I've been going here for a few years.”

Harry brightened and it felt like the sun pushed itself in this room. And there were those dimples again. He prayed to any deity that would listen for Harry to be single because someone who smiled like sunshine after such a simple answer was someone to keep. Louis blinked because, dear God, Harry was beautiful when he was excited. “Really? Me too!”

Harry was on the verge of saying something else when Vanessa and Remi came to grab them both. Louis made his way over to the chair, shrugging off his jacket while Harry placed his coat on the side. Vanessa placed the temporary image on his arm, asking if it was all right with him while Remi did the same with Harry. They worked out the details and soon enough Vanessa started to ink him.

A low buzz filled the room, the dull pain only a slight inconvenience to him, and Harry started chatting, to no one in particular, but everyone seemed to be entranced regardless. It was probably a normal occurrence for him; he just oozed charm.

It must have been an hour or two into the session when Vanessa noted, “It’s kinda funny, you both have been getting parts of the same tattoos for ages. I thought you two knew each other.“

Louis spluttered a bit looking over to Harry and his eyes darted down to his wrist. It was the fucking anchor. Harry had the anchor from the same design he took the rope from. It was even on the opposite wrist and Louis imagined if he held those fingers in his, they would match up perfectly. Harry gasped and Louis’ eyes met bright green. “Holy shit.”

“Yeah! You’re even getting matching tattoos now,“ Remi commented, laughing and not noticing that they were literally breaking down in their chairs. 

This must be some act of fate or destiny because no one just _happened_ to get matching ink. God, maybe that sense of rightness was the world saying that it was high time he met Harry because there was _something_ about him that Louis felt drawn towards, like he was the sun and Louis was just a lone planet bound to orbit the burning beauty. Meeting Harry was the satisfying click of a key opening a lock, or putting the last piece of the puzzle down, or an artist finishing their masterpiece with one final stroke of a brush. They _fit_. 

Louis croaked out, “Are you getting the rose? Because I’m getting the—”

Harry nodded, a quick jerk of a motion then he finished, hopeful, “Dagger?”

They sat there, cowed eyed, while Vanessa and Remi continued to carry on the chat while they stewed in the impossibilities of it all. After they finished wrapping up their new ink, Harry and Louis stood outside, shuffling their feet and grinning at each other. It was weird, Louis wasn’t going to lie, but this had to be a sign. Louis had always been a big believer in fate and this solidified every doubt lingering in his mind. 

And, okay, maybe Harry was just a random guy who liked parts of a design for tattoos. Or maybe he was the love of Louis’ life. Hell, maybe he was bound to be the one who _led_ him to his soulmate, but just standing there, doing nothing, wasn’t going to get him results; he cleared his throat and asked, “Do you wanna get a drink?” He grinned, a little murmur of nerves scrambling in his adrenaline-filled veins. “We can talk all about how we got matching tattoos.”

Harry let out this honk of a laugh that sent Louis giggling with him. He smiled, stepping a bit closer, so close that Louis could tell that he smelled like coconuts. A fond expression crossed his face. _Coconuts_. Why was it that this little detail made Louis look like a loon?

“Yeah, that sounds great actually,” Harry said, bumping his shoulder into Louis’, the dimples on his face deepening.

 

* * *

 

Talking to Harry was as easy as breathing; conversation flowed like they were best friends who lost contact but still chatted as if no time was lost. Louis loathed to say it because every flippant remark he made at rom-coms would haunt him (no matter if he didn’t mean them or not), but he was enamoured with Harry. Plain and simple.   
  
Harry made these stupid puns and smiled like he won the lottery when Louis said something vaguely interesting and drank his tea with too much sugar and wore so many rings and, God, Louis was fucked.  
  
After a beat of silence in the hours they had lost just talking, Louis leaned forward, placing his arms on the table, and asked, even though his nerves shot through the roof, “Harry, would you like to go out for dinner sometime?”  
  
Harry bit his bottom lip, but he still saw those pink lips quirk up into a grin. He toyed with the frayed edge of his coat and looked into Louis’ eyes and Louis swore the world stopped. Just for a second. Like the world could only grant them a moment of perfect silence to savour.  
  
“Well from what I’ve heard about your cooking skills, it’s either you wine and dine me or,” Harry paused, shooting him a cheeky look, “I could cook up something for us. It’ll be our second date, since you already paid for this one.”  
  
Louis’ heart stuttered in his chest and his mouth went dry. “Yeah, that sounds, great actually.”  


And there was that sunny smile again. Louis could get used to seeing that everyday. Not that he _would_ see it everyday, but just the _possibility_ that he could witness that wonder in the future made him feel warm at the thought. 

Harry pursed his lips when he saw that the sky turned an inky blue colour without so much as a warning. “Sorry, I didn’t know it was getting so late, Louis.” He looked at his phone and scrunched his nose. “I have to go. It’s getting late and my best mate’s been texting me ever since I left the shop.”

“Ah, it’s no problem. I should probably go too. Don’t want to worry anyone,” Louis said, then hesitated before he continued, as they both stood up, “It’s lovely to meet you, H.”

Harry blushed a pretty pink, nodding, and Louis felt his fingers twitch, wanting to touch the warm skin blooming pink under his palm. Harry coughed, but stepped closer to him and pulled him into a hug. He whispered, “I’ll text you. For our second date.”

“I can’t wait.” And telling the truth had never felt easier. 

They parted with a few words and Harry kissing his cheek so sweetly that Louis had to remind himself that breathing was mandatory and not an option. Louis walked back to his flat, bouncy and unable to contain his joy.

Getting tattoos had never been more wonderful. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Send me prompts on my [tumblr](http://tightropeofhope.tumblr.com/) if you want!! It's also rebloggable on [this](http://tightropeofhope.tumblr.com/post/165285809341/inked-in-your-skin-by-tightropeofhope-18k-for) post here too !!


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